Van Wijck, Frederike

Professor Frederike Van Wijck

Frederike van Wijck is Professor Neurological Rehabilitation at the Institute for Applied Health Research and the School for Health and Life Sciences at GCU.

Her main research interests are perceptuo-motor control and learning in the context of enhancing functional recovery in people with long term neurological conditions – especially stroke.
Research Interests

Her current programme of research, which includes systematic reviews, validation studies, modelling and feasibility studies, as well as definitive randomised controlled clinical trials, focuses on two themes:

- Arm function recovery - this comprises studies on the mechanisms, effects and experiences of a range of interventions, including bilateral arm training, task oriented training in acute and community-based settings, music therapy, robotics and augmented feedback.

- Physical activity - this comprises studies measuring physical activity and sedentary behaviour after stroke, the design and evaluation of novel interventions to enhance physical activity in people unable to walk after stroke, as well as goal setting in the context of fitness training after stroke. The work on physical fitness training, developed with Prof. Gillian Mead at the University of Edinburgh, includes the design and accreditation of the first UK Exercise and Fitness Training after Stroke specialist instructor course (now licensed to Later Life Training) and the development of best practice guidelines for community-based exercise and fitness training after stroke.
Professional Membership

Frederike is a member of the Cochrane Stroke Editorial Group, a council member of the Society for Research in Rehabilitation and the research lead for the Scottish Allied Health Professions Forum. She is Deputy Research Group Leader of Musculoskeletal and Neurological Rehabilitation in the Institute of Applied Health Research.